Penis Facts

Here are a few facts about the male penis for all those who want to know more about what they are dealing with when they are giving head, giving a hand job or having sex. If you want to know more about how to give great head, be sure to read the blowjob guide.

Page Contents

Average Penis Size

What is the average penis size? Well, this means the average size of his penis when erect. Measuring a flaccid penis is not a good measure of the size it will be when it becomes erect.

Whether you wonder "Is his cock smaller/bigger that average?" or if he is wondering "Is mine smaller/bigger than average?", this is something that probably everyone wonders at least once. But as it turns out, it is not that easy to find an answer. Different surveys come up with different answers.

The average erect penis size as reported from a survey by Ansell is 5.9 inches, with most between 5.5 and 6.3 inches (14 to 16cm) in length and with a girth of 4.7 to 5.1 inches (12 to 13cm).

The average penis size as reported by Durex is 6.4 inches in length and though the average girth was reported as 5.2 inches, most were between 4.8 and 5.1 inches (12 to 13cm).

The average from 12 different studies<link> of over 11,000 men reports an average of 5.5 to 6.2 inches (14 to 16cm) long with a girth of 4.7 to 5.1 inches (12 to 13cm).

The Problems

The problems in establishing an accurate average are thus:

Self-selection - many surveys have to ask for volunteers. Generally, with something where these days men are proud of having a larger and ashamed of having a smaller, it is likely that more men who are confident of their "package" will volunteer, resulting in a falsely large average size.

Measurement methods - depending on how you measure the penis, you can end up with different results. Some examples of measurement methods to illustrate how results can vary:

Measure the penis in a flaccid state but manually stretched out to it's limit.

Measure along the top of the penis in an erect state.

Measure along the top of the penis, pushing the ruler firmly against the pelvic bone (which gives a different measurement if the man is fatter).

Measure along the underside of the penis (which give a different measurement when the penis is pointing up).

Allowing those surveyed to self-measure. From wikipedia - "Results vary, with studies that rely on self-measurement reporting a significantly higher average than those with staff measuring."

Ability to gain an erection - if the man cannot gain an erection (understandable) when being measured, this means the sample data cannot accurately be collected.

Also worth noting is that most people tend to be concerned with length but girth should also be considered as for most women this is perceived to be more important in sexual satisfaction.

Penis Color

Is his penis the right color? - If you are wondering why his penis is a different color than the rest of him, then don't! Penises come in all different shades and as long as it isn't a shade of green, everything is ok.

The skin on his penis and his scrotum can be a darker or lighter shade than the color of his body. The head, once you pull back the foreskin (if he has one) can be darker (more purple) or lighter (more pink) than the rest of him, and can even change color as he becomes more aroused. There can be a line going all the way from his anus, over his scrotum and up the underside of his penis that can be faint or quite noticeably darker than the rest.

Veins on the Penis

What about the veins?! Yes, penises are covered in veins. Some less and some more so than others but the veins are there, in all their vain-glory. The veins can be blue or purple, they can be flat or they can stick out and there is something that might be mistaken for a very large vein that runs the length of his penis on the underside - that is in fact his urethra.

White Dots on the Penis

There is also something called Fordyce's spots that if you see you might have some worries about but is absolutely safe. Fordyce's spots looks like white dot's under the skin on the shaft of the penis and even on the scrotum, almost like pimples but without the red. This is an inherited trait and is not catchy and so is not something you need to worry about. You will not get this from your partner.

Penis Shape

Some penises are straight and others aren't. Some bend up, others to the left or right, some bend down. This is all normal as long as it isn't painful for him. There is a disease called Peyronie's disease that results in a bent penis and can be painful. This is something you should see your doctor about as soon as possible.

Penis shape can also differ in terms of changing girth along the length of the penis shaft. Some men have a perfectly regular (the same girth along the whole length) shaft, others are fatter at the base tapering down to slimmer towards the head, others get fatter the closer you get to the head. Then on top of the shaft there is the head. This also is different. The head can be smaller than the shaft, the same size or bigger.

Foreskin

The foreskin is the skin that covers the head of the penis when it is in an un-aroused state. Some parents choose to circumcise their children as babies and a few men even decide themselves to get a voluntary circumcision. This means that not all men will have a foreskin.

The foreskin protects the head of the penis and because of this natural penises can be more sensitive than circumcised penises. Men who have been circumcised can often require slightly more intense stimulation than an uncircumcised man.

The foreskin, like all crevasses on the body, can become dirty without regular cleaning. A circumcised penis is often thought to be more hygienic because of this. Under the foreskin, something called smegma can build up if proper and regular hygiene is not maintained. Smegma is yellow-white and often described as cheese-like. Smegma can have a strong odor that most consider unpleasant. Smegma, despite it's distastefulness, serves to ward off infection and is a natural part of a healthy penis. Even so, men should maintain good hygiene and keep their penis clean, especially if they are about to get a blowjob!

The foreskin may seem an unnecessary body part but it does have a purpose and men enjoy stimulation to their foreskin. During a blowjob it can be pulled back and out of the way but that doesn't mean it should be ignored. Check out the anatomy blowjob guide for tips on how to play with his foreskin when giving a blowjob.

Scrotum and Testicles

The scrotum is the sack that holds his testicles. The testes themselves are very sensitive and do not give the man any pleasure. It is the scrotum, the skin sack holding the testes, that gives the man pleasure when stimulated.

The scrotum can sometimes be tight and very wrinkled to hold the testes up against the body or it can be loose and the skin looks very thin like that of an old man and the testes will be hanging below the body. This is a feature of the scrotum - it contracts and relaxes (involuntarily) to keep the testes close or far away from the heat of the body. The purpose is to maintain the correct temperature required for sperm to remain alive. That temperature is something less than normal body temperature which is why testes are external and not located within the body as a woman’s ovaries are.

When speaking of sucking a man’s balls, this really is talking about stimulating the scrotum - for some tips on what to do with his balls during a blowjob, check out the interactive anatomy blowjob guide and click on the scrotum to read the scrotum specific tips.

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